In my setup FT-3 interstage sounds worse combined with Mundorf SGO output (possible the guilty are Senns HD600 that have a little bass coloration), FT-3 sounds better combined with Obbligatos (fast & direct) or Auricaps (round & warm) all combos tested in my setup.
At this moment I don't listen the Amphom PIO copper foil over emphasized mids (are in break-in process could change) I'm waiting after break-in open more the highs & also continue tight & focused bass (will be perfect) but who knows will be the final sound...
P.S. congrats again your simplistic njfet RIAA is more silent (helped with R-Core Tx) that my Linn Linto & the Linto is considered by the majority of people the most silent commercial phono preamp.
At this moment I don't listen the Amphom PIO copper foil over emphasized mids (are in break-in process could change) I'm waiting after break-in open more the highs & also continue tight & focused bass (will be perfect) but who knows will be the final sound...
P.S. congrats again your simplistic njfet RIAA is more silent (helped with R-Core Tx) that my Linn Linto & the Linto is considered by the majority of people the most silent commercial phono preamp.
Last edited:
That is why they call it subjective preferences. All those parts mentioned are excellent in general for what they are or for cost to performance ratio. A different TT, amp, speakers, even peripheral parts to the caps like your own choice resistors, can make different soups. Enjoy as you like best. Cheers. 
Interstage Caps
Aaaaarg, when changed the headshell leads to Cardas 33ga with premium PCC Ag/Rh clips I forget to change the VTF
so the cart was working with a lot of more weight: finally reached the reason FT-3 sounds bad in interstage position combineds with Mundorfs SG PIO as output cap, now the clear winner is FT-3, yes the cheap FT-3!!! but at this time Amphom copper foil PIO aren't yet finished the break-in period. I do the test with classical music & now I understand the reason bad sound due to the fact FT-3 are so dense with real deep lows, hyper detailed mids & transparents highs combined with the Mundorfs SG PIO as output cap (the extra weight increased bass & mids to a level of distortion area & missing highs). Will see when Amphoms copper foil PIO where finished break-in time, now the sound is as found in a good paper-in-oil cap: the treble rolloff and bass slowness vs FT-3...
Aaaaarg, when changed the headshell leads to Cardas 33ga with premium PCC Ag/Rh clips I forget to change the VTF
so the cart was working with a lot of more weight: finally reached the reason FT-3 sounds bad in interstage position combineds with Mundorfs SG PIO as output cap, now the clear winner is FT-3, yes the cheap FT-3!!! but at this time Amphom copper foil PIO aren't yet finished the break-in period. I do the test with classical music & now I understand the reason bad sound due to the fact FT-3 are so dense with real deep lows, hyper detailed mids & transparents highs combined with the Mundorfs SG PIO as output cap (the extra weight increased bass & mids to a level of distortion area & missing highs). Will see when Amphoms copper foil PIO where finished break-in time, now the sound is as found in a good paper-in-oil cap: the treble rolloff and bass slowness vs FT-3...
Last edited:
Merlin,
I am glad you worked it out. If I understand your comments you now like the Mund SG and Ft-3 combo.
I am getting ready to measure the simplistic finally. Finally sorta figured out the 1616m interface and have been able to obtain some decent direct connect noise spectra. Attached are the before (MAudio) and the present measurement system (EMU1616m). Night and day!!!! Will be interesting tosee what the riaa will look like with all of the issues I have had in the past with ground loops.
Both are calibrated for 1Vrms = 0dB
I am glad you worked it out. If I understand your comments you now like the Mund SG and Ft-3 combo.
I am getting ready to measure the simplistic finally. Finally sorta figured out the 1616m interface and have been able to obtain some decent direct connect noise spectra. Attached are the before (MAudio) and the present measurement system (EMU1616m). Night and day!!!! Will be interesting tosee what the riaa will look like with all of the issues I have had in the past with ground loops.
Both are calibrated for 1Vrms = 0dB
Attachments
Yes, but still doing the break-in AMPHOM PIO copper foil.
Wow are more or less between 15-20dBs better noise floor, good tools are expensive like good components, congrats for the new toy, I aml sure you enjoy it & I can learn with your posts.
Caps balanced Salas phono NJFET RIAA
For the new balanced 1st approach will have:
Caps
Interstage FT-3 0.1uF & output caps Auricaps that I have on hand 4.7uF hot 3.3uF cold both 450VDC
Resistors
1W & 2W Kiwame & one Takman that not have needed value "on stock" Parts-Connexion
1/4W PRP
Lytic caps
220uF / 100VDC Nichicon Muse I have on hand
33uF / 100VDC Elna Silmic II
Asap I will post photos.
For the new balanced 1st approach will have:
Caps
Interstage FT-3 0.1uF & output caps Auricaps that I have on hand 4.7uF hot 3.3uF cold both 450VDC
Resistors
1W & 2W Kiwame & one Takman that not have needed value "on stock" Parts-Connexion
1/4W PRP
Lytic caps
220uF / 100VDC Nichicon Muse I have on hand
33uF / 100VDC Elna Silmic II
Asap I will post photos.
Hello SGregory,
Your EM-U 1616 output looks great.
I have assembled a PC dedicated to my workspace. On board there is an EM-U 1212 and AudioTester 3.0. The EM-U setup software is not straight foreword to say the least. I do have it working at 16 44.1.
I do not know if others would like to hear your trials and triumphs. I sure would like to hear your story and see your setup. Do you use an interface or connect the output of the RIAA directly to the balanced input of the 1616?
Salas if this too far OT here, where would be a good place for the FFT testing protocols?
DT
All just for fun!
If it will revolve around best measuring the phono, is fine here. If it is too long about the EMU and its interfacing and software, you may open a thread under everything else category named ''EMU cards for FFT'' or something like that so other users experienced in EMU can see and contribute general stuff about ASIO, sampling, Windows, FFT software etc.
I'll talk a little about it in this thread pertaining to the measurement of the RIAA. At this level of noise we now can be more sure of the performance of it in my set-up. My other set-up was always questionable due to ground loops and relatively high background noise.
I can start a thread on the EMU in Everything else but it will be a few days. The software is tricky. Took me a while to figure it out. Audio tester doesn;t make it easy either.
I can start a thread on the EMU in Everything else but it will be a few days. The software is tricky. Took me a while to figure it out. Audio tester doesn;t make it easy either.
Phono & Shunt Reg. Schematics
Hi Salas
Two very impressive threads and projects you have going.
Have read lots of both.
I am interested to do a shunt regulated phono.
The threads are so long I can't find the prefered schematics for both the regulator and phono.
Would you link me somehow with your prefered schematics for both.
Will continue to read the threads.
Looks like there are alot of sonic tune up types soldering Ohms & Farads in and out like crazy.
Lots of fun!
Can't wait.
Cheers Simon
Hi Salas
Two very impressive threads and projects you have going.
Have read lots of both.
I am interested to do a shunt regulated phono.
The threads are so long I can't find the prefered schematics for both the regulator and phono.
Would you link me somehow with your prefered schematics for both.
Will continue to read the threads.
Looks like there are alot of sonic tune up types soldering Ohms & Farads in and out like crazy.
Lots of fun!
Can't wait.
Cheers Simon
Thanks for your message Merlin.
Hi Merlin
I guess your very happy with the phono stage, have read some but not all of your tune up stuff, very good.
I made my last phono stage way back in 1988, and have listened to it (and messed about with it, Farad/Ohm/wire/PSU/bias swaping etc.) ever since.
It had been screwed to a book-shelf for 21 years (enough's enough I thought!) so last year I made a funky case for it which is now nearly wired up and finished. When the last blob of solder goes on, I want to seal the case like an ancient tomb, never to be opened again (am thinking to epoxy the lid shut, just kidding) and start making another one to mess about with, oh dear!
You asked me about the output of my cartridge, maybe you and other members can help me with some recommendations for my turntable.
I have a Thorens TD160b MK2, SME 3009 arm & Goldring 1006 cartridge.
Recently a friend of mine mashed the stylus into the deck and totaly busted it. This was quite heavy duty damage and although the arm seems to have survived, am not sure the cartridge has.
Since getting a new stylus is nearly as much as a new cartridge, I am thinking that I should try something different, not because I didn't like the Goldring but a change is a good thing.
I am sure that there are cartridges that would suit this deck/arm and Salas phono stage combo perfectly, but I have no idea out of the zillions available what to go for. Any idea Merlin ?
Since the Thorens is out of action and am currently useing my Dual, I am going to take as much time as needed to get the Thorens into tip-top order whilst I build the Salas phono stage.
Maybe you and other members have some good tips on how to best tune up the deck/arm with the chosen new cartridge. I am looking through diyAudio at the moment to try and find some related threads.
I am thinking of rewiring the arm with new RCA's and cartridge pins, doing any mains and motor mods that might be good, refinishing the plinth cosmeticaly and getting new lid, mat and disk clamp (recommendations on these are also most welcome).
I am considering powering the new phono stage with batterys (am I nuts?) but have not yet decided. I guess shunt regulating batterys is still a valid option, although wasteful of battery life, I can't work out if shunting batterys would be a performance improvement or not, ideas welcome.
I have also looked into Sowter phono transformers, and transformer attenuators, but am undecided (currently useing DIY Audio Synthesis PAS-02).
Quite alot of information here I know, I guess deciding on the new cartridge is step 1.
Thanks again for the post reply Merlin, keep up the good tuning work
Cheers Simon M
or MC ???
Hi Merlin
I guess your very happy with the phono stage, have read some but not all of your tune up stuff, very good.
I made my last phono stage way back in 1988, and have listened to it (and messed about with it, Farad/Ohm/wire/PSU/bias swaping etc.) ever since.
It had been screwed to a book-shelf for 21 years (enough's enough I thought!) so last year I made a funky case for it which is now nearly wired up and finished. When the last blob of solder goes on, I want to seal the case like an ancient tomb, never to be opened again (am thinking to epoxy the lid shut, just kidding) and start making another one to mess about with, oh dear!
You asked me about the output of my cartridge, maybe you and other members can help me with some recommendations for my turntable.
I have a Thorens TD160b MK2, SME 3009 arm & Goldring 1006 cartridge.
Recently a friend of mine mashed the stylus into the deck and totaly busted it. This was quite heavy duty damage and although the arm seems to have survived, am not sure the cartridge has.
Since getting a new stylus is nearly as much as a new cartridge, I am thinking that I should try something different, not because I didn't like the Goldring but a change is a good thing.
I am sure that there are cartridges that would suit this deck/arm and Salas phono stage combo perfectly, but I have no idea out of the zillions available what to go for. Any idea Merlin ?
Since the Thorens is out of action and am currently useing my Dual, I am going to take as much time as needed to get the Thorens into tip-top order whilst I build the Salas phono stage.
Maybe you and other members have some good tips on how to best tune up the deck/arm with the chosen new cartridge. I am looking through diyAudio at the moment to try and find some related threads.
I am thinking of rewiring the arm with new RCA's and cartridge pins, doing any mains and motor mods that might be good, refinishing the plinth cosmeticaly and getting new lid, mat and disk clamp (recommendations on these are also most welcome).
I am considering powering the new phono stage with batterys (am I nuts?) but have not yet decided. I guess shunt regulating batterys is still a valid option, although wasteful of battery life, I can't work out if shunting batterys would be a performance improvement or not, ideas welcome.
I have also looked into Sowter phono transformers, and transformer attenuators, but am undecided (currently useing DIY Audio Synthesis PAS-02).
Quite alot of information here I know, I guess deciding on the new cartridge is step 1.
Thanks again for the post reply Merlin, keep up the good tuning work
Cheers Simon M
or MC ???